winter

Winter damage on evergreen trees and shrubs

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Without a doubt, it has been a weird and wacky winter from a gardener’s standpoint. We went into winter in drought conditions in much of the state and the minor snow precipitation never really made a difference. So here we are on the brink...

Extension resources for late winter gardening

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu With spring right around the corner (perhaps sooner than we think), Extension Yard and Garden pages have some great resources to help you get your landscape ready for the 2024 growing season. Here are some late-season resources for...

How will this warm winter affect my plants?

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu How will this unusually warm winter affect my garden, lawn, trees and shrubs? Will pests be a bigger problem? Can I still prune my fruit trees? Plant dormancy is affected by day length and temperature. Plants slowly start moving into...

Will this winter warmup cause sap to flow?

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Colleagues across Extension have been receiving calls and emails about this warmer weather, wondering how it might affect everything from the soil to drought to syrup tapping. I have reports from people who have tapped trees that the sap...

Frozen forests

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Winter has become my favorite season to be out in the woods. I find the winter landscape to be shockingly beautiful and peaceful. I developed this affinity for forests during the winter as a graduate student at the University of...

Tips to help houseplants thrive over the winter

Winter can be harsh. Frigid temperatures and fewer hours of daylight can take a toll, and many people prefer to stay warm inside as much as possible during winter. Indoor air also can take a toll, leading to dry skin and increasing individuals' exposure to viruses such as those that cause the...

Cozy up to winter movie releases

Even though it may have been many weeks since the nation collectively adjusted their clocks to "fall back," now that the holiday twinkle lights that illuminated homes and businesses have been put away, mid-winter darkness may seem even more apparent. The hours of daylight are incrementally...

Warm winter and pests

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu How will this warmer winter weather affect the survival of pests like emerald ash borer (EAB)? Emerald ash borers generally have a one-year life cycle that can extend to two years in a vigorously growing ash tree. EAB larvae live under...

Fun ways to enjoy the start of winter

Winter begins on December 21, 2023, and ends on March 19, 2024. Many people lament the arrival of winter, perhaps thinking the colder temperatures and shorter hours of sunlight will compromise their chances to have fun. Even though particularly chilly thermostat readings or stormy conditions can...

Winterizing plants: A good fence is the best defense against animal damage

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Winter weather is tough enough on plants - the wind, dryness and cold. Animals also struggle to survive, searching for shelter and food, sometimes in our own backyards. The damage caused by animals might only be cosmetic at times, but it...